News

Red Wings News

By The Numbers: Andreas Athanasiou

by
Bill Roose
/ Detroit Red Wings

By The Numbers will highlight the Red Wings on-ice accomplishments in the 2015-16 season. Each week during the off-season, By The Numbers will profile a different player on the team, focusing on their statistical highs. This week we focus on forward Andreas Athanasiou.

Speedy Andreas Athanasiou provided a spark to the Red Wings' offense during two stints with the club during the 2015-16 season. (Photo by Getty Images)

As much as Dylan Larkin provided a positive impact in his rookie season, so too did Athanasiou, who did so in two separate call ups from the Wings’ minor-league affiliate in Grand Rapids.

The 21-year-old scored nine goals on 53 shots on goal – that’s a 17-percent clip, which led the Red Wings.

“I just try to play my game,” Athanasiou said after scoring his first career goal last November. “I just try to do the best I can and help the team win, whether that’s drawing penalties or getting pucks on net and scoring. So it’s just trying to do my best every night.”

17 | Led the Red Wings and was third among league rookies in shooting percent, scoring nine goals on 53 shots. The last Wings’ rookie to have a higher shooting percent was Martin Lapointe, who scored eight goals on 45 shots in 1993-94. League rookies Anthony Duclair of Arizona (19%) and Andy Andreoff of Los Angeles (17.4%) found the back of the net more frequently in more games played than Athanasiou.

9 | The nine goals he scored were the most of any NHL rookie who played 40 or fewer games last season. It’s the most rookie goals scored in 40 or fewer games since San Jose’s Tomas Hertl potted 15 goals in 37 games during the 2013-14 season.

1 | His first career goal was also his first game-winning tally in his second-ever game with the Red Wings. He scored the game’s only goal at 4:06 of the third period in Detroit’s 1-0 win over Washington on Sergei Fedorov Night at Joe Louis Arena, on Nov. 10.

2 | Was the second Red Wings’ rookie to score multiple goals in a game last season. His two goals forced overtime in Dallas on Feb. 29 Fellow rookie Dylan Larkin scored twice in a 6-3 loss at Florida (Feb. 4).

24 | Logged a career-high two dozen shifts in Detroit’s 2-1 shootout win over Columbus (Feb. 23). Henrik Zetterberg, Justin Abdelkader, Pavel Datsyuk and Gustav Nyquist skated more than the 15:30 of ice time that Athanasiou had against the Blue Jackets. A week later, he equaled his shift total in the Wings’ 3-2 overtime win at Dallas (Feb. 29).

106 | With his goal against Philadelphia (Apr. 6) he became the 106th player in franchise history to record a short-handed goal. It was just the second SHG of the season for the Red Wings. Riley Sheahan scored short handed against the Blue Jackets (Feb. 23).